


Partners

by sirenofodysseus



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Poor Grace, body image issues, post 4x01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 16:13:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5632951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirenofodysseus/pseuds/sirenofodysseus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’m also your partner.”  Grace falls silent, uncrossing her arms to cradle her head in her hands. Cho orders two glasses of water from the bartender, before he adds, “Partners don’t lie.” Cho/Grace friendship. Post 4x01.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partners

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote a thing (and as it's my first fic of 2016, yay!), it only felt appropriate that I started the year off right with a friendship piece between Cho and Grace. :D 
> 
> (Used to fill my H/C bingo card -> Body image issues)

            He doesn’t say a word to her, as he joins her at the bar. Pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, he orders a beer from the tanned (and un-chatty) bartender—but doesn’t touch it, aside from the first initial sips he takes to help her relax.

            Grace eyes him, after his fifth sip. “Why aren’t you celebrating with them?” 

            “I celebrated,” Cho tells her, setting his beer aside. “I told Jane congratulations, had a few drinks and teased Rigsby.” Ordering vodka from the bartender, Grace doesn’t reply until after her second tumbler is half-empty.

            “Aren’t you going to ask why I’m not celebrating?” Grace asks and Cho side-eyes her, almost amused by her brazen question.

            “Did you want me to ask you?”

            “No.” Grace takes another sip of her drink. “Not really.” She crosses her arms against her chest and Cho waits for her to speak again, because while he’s not one for much conversation (or for personal problem conversations), he’s been working with her long enough that he knows when she’s got something weighing on her mind. “I was supposed to be married today.”

            “I know.”

            “Instead, I’m out celebrating Jane’s freedom.”

            “I know,” he repeats.

            “Is there something wrong with me?” Grace asks suddenly and Cho blinks, nearly taken aback. “Is there just something about me that screams _I’m naïve_ to men?” She takes another sip of her vodka, before slamming the empty glass back down on the counter. “Do I scream naïve to you, Cho?” He doesn’t say anything and she drops her voice, into a mere whisper. “Would you fuck me to get closer to Patrick Jane? Or, would you fuck me to gain access to my CBI keycard? My looks are obviously working against me.”

            He eyes her. “No. I already have a keycard of my own.”

            She snorts, derisively. “At least, you’re honest.” She orders another glass of vodka. “I know I’ll regret this tomorrow morning, but right now, I just need to drink.” He can’t say he doesn’t understand, because he does. “Don’t stop me, okay?”

            “I won’t.” He’s not Rigsby _or_ Lisbon. It’s not his job to stop her from drinking herself into a coma, regardless of the hell he might get from Rigsby later on. Cho feels Grace’s eyes on him again and he turns to stare at her. He can see the confusion forming and he almost sighs. “You’re sad. This is how some people deal with sadness.”

            “I just expected…”

            “I’m not Rigsby,” Cho interrupts quietly, before he continues. “You lost your fiancé, he hasn’t. He’d never understand.” He’s not saying Rigsby’s ignorant, but there _are_ times, when he seriously questions the man’s observational and empathy skills. Now, for example is one of those times—but, Cho’s not about to make it his business. “If Rigsby was here, he’d stutter and tell you, there’s nothing wrong with you. He’d also tell you, you’re beautiful. You know you’re naïve though and Rigsby’s blind though.” Grace grimaces, fingering her third glass. “He’s going to tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.” She glances at him and he thinks he hears her mutter _ass_ under her breath, which doesn’t bother him at all. It’s not the first time he’s been called an ass and it probably won’t be the last either.

            “You’re supposed to my friend,” Grace comments.

            “I am,” he replies. “I’m also your partner.”  Grace falls silent, uncrossing her arms to cradle her head in her hands. Cho orders two glasses of water from the bartender, before he adds, “Partners don’t lie.”

             “I didn’t sign up for this,” she tells him, after the bartender passes by again. Cho slides the second glass of water toward her, which she accepts with a small nod. “I loved him, and now, he’s gone and I’m alone.” She looks away from him. “I just wanted to be happy. Don’t I deserve to be happy?”

            “You just need to find better men,” he answers and when she says nothing in response, he glances toward her. “You’ll find someone, Van Pelt. It just takes time.” He starts to stand from the barstool, when she grabs at his shirtsleeve.

            “Can you stay for a little while longer?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Thank you, Cho.”

            “You’re welcome, Van Pelt.”


End file.
